Slide 1: Peer Specialist Support and Community Resources
Jeanne Boudreau, Peer Specialist – Unify
Dawna Osborne, Peer Specialist - Unify
1/11/2021
Slide 2: Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation you will be able to:
•	Explain the shift in paradigms of mental illness
•	Identify and explain recovery and peer-based initiatives
•	Explain the purpose of Recovery Learning Communities (RLC)
•	Explain the purpose of WRAP curriculum
•	Identify when and how to engage Peer Specialist in the Care Management process
Slide 3: Agenda
•	The Word “Recovery” – Jeanne and Dawna
•	RLC – Jeanne and Dawna
•	WRAP – Jeanne
•	Club Houses – Jeanne
•	ILC – Dawna
•	Mass Rehab – Dawna
•	Addiction – Dawna
•	When to offer Peer Support to members?
Slide 4: Perspective
“I’ll tell you what mental illness is.  A mentally ill man is painting his house….  
And he doesn’t know that he is painting his house.” 

– said by a close friend, 1959
Slide 5: Recovery
Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. There are four major dimensions that support recovery: 
•	Health—overcoming or managing one's disease(s) or symptoms and making informed, healthy choices that support physical and emotional well-being. 
•	Home—having a stable and safe place to live. 
•	Purpose—conducting meaningful daily activities and having the independence, income, and resources to participate in society. 
•	Community—having relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.
Slide 6: If I bumped into my 8 year old friend today…
I hope that he would say…
•	“Mental illness is only one aspect of a person”;
•	“People with mental illness can and do recover”;
•	“Recovery is non-linear and unique to each person”.
Slide 7: Since the mid-90’s…
•	The Medical Community is no longer seen as the experts who drive the mental health bus
•	Doctors are in a partnership and accountable to those with mental illness
•	People with mental illness are the ‘experts’ in their own life choices

“Nothing about us – without us”. ~ M-Power
Slide 8: Recovery is based upon…
•	Autonomy
•	Self-Determination
•	Empowerment
•	Dignity
•	Meaning
•	Connection
•	Fulfillment
•	Community
•	Enables
•	Independence
•	Self-Direction
Slide 9: Recovery Learning Communities
•	RLC provides welcoming, safe, understanding, judgement-free spaces where individuals of diverse backgrounds can gather for healing and growth. We are a community of peers in recovery from mental health challenges, addiction and or traumatic life experiences. 
•	The RLC supports individuals on their journeys to obtaining and maintaining wellness in a variety of ways, including: 1:1 peer support, peer support groups, self-directed recovery-oriented trainings, advocacy and through an array of community events and activities.

Slide 10: Kiva (Worcester County RLC Schedule)
Sample weekly schedule
Monday 
7-21-28
Morning Jump Start Peer Support 9:30-10:30
American Sign Language 10:45-11:45
Coping with Anger 11:00-12:00
Spanish Peer Support 11:15-12:15
Breaking Cycles 12:00-1:00

Tuesday
1-8-22-29
Sharing & Caring Conversation 10:00-11:00
Community Gathering Starts at 11:15
Latin Lunch (Bilingual)12:30-1:30
Trauma-Informed Addiction Support Dual Diagnosis 1:30-2:30
QGong Mind, Body, and Spirit (note: the rest is cut off) 

Wednesday
2-9-16-23-30
Walking Group with Andrei 9:15-9:45
Wellness Wednesday 9:30-10:30
Peers of Color Support 10:45-11:45
Compulsive Behavior Support 12:00-1:00
Life after violence cut off 

Thursday
3-10-17-24-31
Living with Loss 10:00-11:00
Alternatives to Suicide 11:15-12:15
Voice Hearers & Alternative Realities 12:30-1:30
Spirituality & Wellness 1:35-2:35
The rest is cut off 

Friday
4-11-18-25
Kiva opens at 12:00 noon on Fridays
Sharing & Caring Conversations 12:30-1:30
Recovery Through Art 1:45-3:15
Recovery Through Rhythms (drum circle and more) 3:30-4:30
Karaoke/Spoken Word the rest is cut off

Saturday 5-12-19-26r4
Over the phone peer support 7:00-7:30pm
Conference call (508)556-4226

Included on the schedule is an advertisement for Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL) Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday, monthly at 5:30pm
For more information contact Kathy: parentsupportgroup@ppal.net
508-767-9725
Slide 11: RLC Information Based on Region
Central Area
Central Mass RLC/Kiva Center
209 Shrewsbury Street Worcester, MA 01604
Phone: 508-751-9600
Fax: 508-751-9601
info@centralmassrlc.org
On the web: Central Mass RLC Website

West
Western Mass. RLC
Western Massachusetts Training Consortium
187 High Street, Suite 303 Holyoke, MA 01040
Phone: 413 539-5941
Toll free 866-641-2853
Fax: 413 536-5466
info@westernmassrlc.org
On the Web: Western Massachusetts Training Consortium

Northeast
Northeast RLC
Northeast Independent Living Program
20 Ballard Road Lawrence, MA 01843
Phone: 978-687-4288 (V/TTY)
Fax: 978-689-4488
On the Web: Northeast RLC/Northeast Independent Living Program

Boston
Metro Boston RLC
Solomon Carter Fuller Center
85 E. Newton Street, Ground Floor Boston, MA 02118
Phone: 617-305-9976
info@bostonresourcecenter.org

On the Web: Metro Boston RLC/Solomon Carter Fuller Center

Southeast
SERLC Director: Sandra Whitney Sarles
c/o 45 Plant Road
Suite 119
Hyannis, MA 02601
Cell:(774) 212-4519
sandra.whitney-sarles@bmc.org
info@southeastrlc.org

The Southeast RLC has 5 RCCs: Fall River, Taunton, Brockton, Hyannis and Quincy.

On the Web: SERLC Website

Slide 12:
WRAP

What is WRAP? - The Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) is a personalized wellness and recovery system born out of and rooted in the principle of self-determination. WRAP® is a wellness and recovery approach that helps people to: 1) decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors; 2) increase personal empowerment; 3) improve quality of life; and 4) achieve their own life goals and dreams. Working with a WRAP® can help individuals to monitor uncomfortable and distressing feelings and behaviors and, through planned responses, reduce, modify, or eliminate those feelings. A WRAP® also includes plans for responses from others when an individual cannot make decisions, take care of him/herself, and/or keep him/herself safe.

Copeland Center
Slide 13: Club Houses
•	The Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition is dedicated to expanding employment, housing, educational, social, and leadership opportunities available to Massachusetts citizens who have a mental illness. 
•	The MCC was organized to uphold and promote the values, principles and financial integrity of the international Clubhouse model toward the empowerment of people with mental health needs. 
•	Toward this purpose the MCC will take action, advocate, provide support, and offer opportunities to network and educate ourselves and the community while working as an organization to remove barriers to successful community integration. The Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition is committed to helping Clubhouses and individual Clubhouse members reach their full potential.
Slide 14: Club Houses
They help with:
•	Education
•	Housing
•	Employment
•	Housing
o	Transitional Employment: 6-9 months, trained and supported by staff
o	Supported Employment: Position becomes permanent, has support of staff
o	Independent Employment is independent from Clubhouse 
•	Community Connection – a place for members to belong
Slide 15: Club Houses
Note: This slide shows a map of Massachusetts with markers indicating the locations of Club Houses. There are markers statewide.

Slide 16: ILC
•	There are over 600 Independent Living (IL) Centers throughout the US that practice the cross-disability philosophy: the belief that all people with disabilities share a common thread that brings them together. Centers are private not-for-profit organizations that are run by and for persons with disabilities. 
•	The staff must be at least 51% persons with disabilities and the nonprofit board must be at least 51% persons with disabilities. 
•	Massachusetts has 11 Independent Living Centers (ILCs) located throughout the state.
•	Independent Living Centers are not places to live rather they are agencies which provide information, support and advocacy to support people with disabilities to live in the communities of their choice.
Slide 17: ILC
Note: This slide shows a map of Massachusetts with markers indicating the locations of ILCs. There are fewer ILCs than Club Houses, though they are statewide.
Slide 18: Mass Rehab

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) is a state agency that helps people with disabilities to live and work independently. MRC serves people with all types of disabilities except those who are blind. Individuals with visual disabilities are served through the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB).
•	Established in 1956 by an act of the Massachusetts Legislature.
•	Has three divisions:
o	Community Living
o	Disability Determination Services
o	Vocational Rehabilitation
Slide 19: Addiction – Different Types of Services
The stigma of drug misuse keeps people from seeking treatment. Words like “junkie,” “addict,” and “druggie” can hurt, damaging self-image and standing in the way of recovery. Addiction is not a choice. 

It’s a chronic disease similar to diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

Types of Addiction Treatment Programs
•	Medical Detox
•	Medication-Assisted Treatment
•	Inpatient Treatment
•	Residential Rehab
•	Medication-Assisted Treatment
Slide 20: Addiction – Different Types of Services
•	Outpatient treatment
•	Intensive outpatient treatment
•	Dual Diagnosis
•	Court ordered treatment
•	Faith based rehab
•	Aftercare
•	Short term treatment
•	12 Steps Recovery
Slide 21: 4 Key Functions of Peer Supports
How to identify when and how to engage Peer Specialist in the Care Management process
•	Assist in daily management
•	Social and emotional support
•	Link to Clinical and Community Resources
•	Ongoing availability of support
Slide 22: When to offer Peer Support to members?
Peer Specialist Needs of Referral List

Starting point for a referral should be (1 or both):
•	Member has BH Dx 
•	Member has Substance Dx
Then the Peer Specialist may be involved with the following items:
1.	Need to connect member to community services — AA, NA, RLC groups, Club Houses, Peers groups etc 
2.	Discuss recovery goals that relate to SMI, SUD etc. 
3.	Advocacy / Social Support / Emotional Support
Then there is a lot of grey areas…
Slide 23: Thank you
Questions?
Peer Video